Jump to content

sociologia-psicologia

Members
  • Posts

    26
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Dallas, TX
  • Application Season
    2013 Fall

Recent Profile Visitors

1,958 profile views

sociologia-psicologia's Achievements

Decaf

Decaf (2/10)

9

Reputation

  1. I was accepted for this fall into The University of Texas at Dallas's M.S. in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience. I have a B.A. with a major in sociology and a minor in psychology, with that said, I didn't take cognitive psychology nor neuroscience...I took everything else but those two lol. I had a very strong GPA (3.75), great letters of recommendation, and even did a couple of months of research with one of the faculty members at UT-Dallas while I was at UNT. I am planning on using this master's program to gain a strong sense of behavioral neuroscience, graduate-level coursework proficiency and some sense of what I might like to study as a researcher. My main goal will be to apply to clinical and counseling psychology Ph.D. programs. Also, the only science courses I took were Intro to Bio and Intro to Biotechnology.
  2. Good question; I do find the title of being a psychologist to be my goal. I want to be directly responsible for treating and investigating mental habits. I like the fact that I would use scalings and inventories, where many master's-level practitioners (at least in Texas) don't have that ability, knowledge, training, etc. to do so (unless you take on the licensure as an LPA). If money was my main concern or goal, I would have gone into a more lucrative/ higher paying field in my undergraduate. I transitioned from being a professional classical musician, holding a full scholarship at the New England Conservatory of Music, studying with some of the best people in my field. Due to multiple reasons, I had a career change. I looked at immediately gratifying fields like nursing, computer and technology-based fields to give me the higher potential payout. Alas, I found the science of investigating, treating and managing people's behaviors via non-pharmacological methods to be my calling. I know that at most, Ph.D. psychologists will average around $60-75K within 5-8 years of practice post-doctoral level or residency training. Some (in the 90th percentile) can average between $90-180K through their life span as a professional (private practice psychologists typically don't see this from the research I have conducted). I do want to teach college, but I also want to practice as a psychotherapist. Most of your junior colleges are hiring more Ph.D.-level teachers even while the minimum requirement is a master's degree. (More bang for their buck). So...long story short (too late ), this field, while it doesn't provide the most immediately gratifying result, would still pay more than my previous profession as a classical musician, that has a <10% growth rate as an industry between now an 2025, whereas mental health professionals will have a 24-26% growth rate between now and 2025. The odds are favorably better in this profession than being a classical bass trombonist . An added caveat: doctoral-level mental health professionals also subsequently have higher pay than their master-level counterparts (I am not saying ALL, but a majority).
  3. I know this, I was just referring to the fact that the math deficiency is due to lack of knowledge, my low verbal score is attributable to my lack of studying on the section.
  4. I recently turned down my offer for TWU's M.A. in Sociology. I am still awaiting results for the M.S. in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience at UT-Dallas. With this being said, I figured the worst case scenario is, I don't get into the M.S. program, I enroll in an introductory algebra class, study well and hard for the GRE and retake the test sometime in November. I scored a 4.5 on the analytic essay portion, a 137 on the math and a 142 on the verbal. This was my first time taking the GRE (I am very happy with my essay score). I figured, I lack algebra skills in general, I didn't take it in high school, nor did I take geometry. Because of this loop hole and the fact I have taken multiple statistics courses in college (made A's in them both). I need to take a step back and learn the basics, and do well on this GRE. I want to become a psychologist, I want to help the mentally ill, I believe the current view of people saying that they want to be a psychologist is to help people are being discounted and often scoffed at. I don't want to be a counselor, a social worker, etc. I want to be a PSYCHOLOGIST, whom provides scientifically-back knowledge to help people suffering mentally. And yes, I want to be referred to as Dr. Ream one day
  5. Okie dokie, I had enough time to read some of the prior posts (I haven't been on in a couple of days). Firstly, just want to make it clear...I am not being defensive by any means. I simply ask for advice, I break down the advice, share my opinion in regards to the advice, but none-the-less, I still digest the advice given to me. In the long run, I do apologize if you feel I was being defensive, but I wasn't. On another note, I will retake the GRE...as painstaking and against my beliefs as it may be, I will do it just so some secretary wont toss my file in the bin. Curious though, will a high analytic score such as a 5.0+ help offset my lower scores between the quant. and verbal?
  6. I applied to the M.S. in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience myself. How do you like the program? Do you think it would allow someone to be prepared to apply for Ph.D. programs in counseling or clinical psychology? Or is solely geared for those who want to go to the Ph.D. in cognition and neuroscience?
  7. On another note (forgot to add this in the previous post), if one has a good undergraduate GPA, good LOR's, good GPA in a master's program, a thesis, graduate teaching experience, took courses in more than just one statistics or research methods course...would this person be decently competitive despite a lower GRE score? So, in other words, would the fact that the person whom is applying to a Ph.D. program that shows they have the conceptual ability to do good quality work as well as a plethora of coursework from undergraduate to graduate school in statistics and research methods essentially be deemed as non-competitive because of a low GRE? The ability to write in ASA format at the graduate level, the ability to combine both psychological and sociological courses to provide that "independence" that is necessary in a Ph.D. program, goes out the window because of one test score? Forgive me if I sound frustrated (I am), it is not directed at no single person...it is an overall frustration. And I thank those that read this for providing this feedback.
  8. I took a GRE prep course in March at UT-Dallas, I own most of the major GRE books since last year to current. I know that when I looked over the math sections, many things I did not have a conceptual basis on. Example: algebraic expressions and fractions went over my head. When I took statistics, everything clicked for me, I managed to make an ending score of a 95 in my first statistics class and a 110 in my sociological statistics class. I knew that taking a class really enforced the rule of needing to comprehend certain material in a certain timeframe (giving direction). I am very certain that there is no one model to learning, studying psychology taught me that. The fact that a school diagnostician tells my family that I would do well enough to make it out of high school would be a miracle. I know some folks may be on here thinking "if he needs that kind of structure, he might as well not go into graduate school"...I would say that is a false conception. It's unnerving to know the deficiency, having evidence to support that a test is not indicative of my abilities, or my abilities to think abstractly. In this instance, there are many outliers that are essentially making up a new majority. Since science deals with what one can measure as a constant rather than with intervening or confounding variables, I think it is the perfect time for the education system to revamp their standards on measuring the "goodness of fit" (Chi Square reference, personality psychology reference). I watch my fiancee of 6 years whom has a B.S. (3.96) in pharmacy and an M.S. (4.0) in pharmaceutical sciences whom was very successful and essentially turned down from UT Southwestern, whom would be LUCKY to have him...all because he scored a 200 on the verbal, yet, his TOEFL (99) score indicates he has a firm grasp of the English language. His abilities to think abstractly are insane, and are proven with his quantitative score of 750+. So, now he studies for medical school and works for Pizza Hut... I firmly believe that the methods of measurement to indicate the ability to see if an applicant can think abstractly, handle graduate-level coursework, work independently and in inventive ways is horribly skewed with the GRE.
  9. Very good points. So, it boils down to retaking the GRE (obviously). My research interest(s) are good and align with many programs I have been in touch with (UT-Austin, TWU, U . of Iowa and some others). The GPA is pretty solid, I know that my referees provide solid letters of recommendation for me (two of them have their Ph.D.'s from Washington State University in sociology, another did his Ph.D. in psychology and emphasized in neuropsychology at University of Houston). Other than the cliche term "just study," what is recommended for someone who didn't have algebra or geometry in high school, yet, went off to college and took statistics and made A's all throughout the program? I can apply equations in context to what is being measured, I understand my measurements of variability and central tendencies, etc. Would one recommend taking an algebra class at a community college? Most don't offer geometry, so I am not sure how I could remedy that deficiency. Again, I am open to ideas...I have never been ashamed or felt inferior to others because I ask for help. It has made me to person I am today (even my faults)
  10. Ah...some nice social/ personality psychology Well, let's assume that I have a fear of failure (which I comfortably can admit to some extent, I was trained first and foremost as a classical musician ), it's still a variable that drives me. I would say that I have a fear of failure, however, my fear alone I am comfortable with (?). If I can find a program, that is great, if not, I fully recognize the need to adapt to the current requirement of raising the GRE score. It's not fair, but it is reality. Then, you would need to consider if such path is the appropriate one...and if it is, the motive of pursing that goal will be the aspect of goal attainment (in this case, getting the Ph.D. so I can teach, and do a little research). I would say that 60-70% of me really finds teaching lucrative enough, and the remaining 30-40% to be focused on research. As a classical musician, I used to teach a lot for middle school, high school students and college music minors. Has it become so bad to admit that I may just want to teach with a good salary? Sure, I could stop at the M.A. level and find a community college job, but, one's future salary will also deal with education level. One could be a master's-level college professor for 10+ years and may never see above $80K a year, however, the Ph.D. professors are able to achieve the title of "professor" with the potential income level that reflects such attainment. So, it boils down to...I want to be a Ph.D., but right now, my interests point towards teaching.
  11. LOL! What a nice way to say "you suck." I will, I know that these are poor. Just to test my theory out, I may apply to some Ph.D. programs this fall just to see the odds. I am in the M.A. program already, so, the worst that could happen is that they say no (and I would spend another $300+ on fees and transcripts). I wonder if these scores are decent enough to get into MPH or MPA programs? midnight: I really do appreciate your honesty and your input from the other end of the spectrum, without it, scientists wouldn't be scientists. I always tell this to my fiancee, that, sometimes we need to really see the alternative reality of what we are passionate on...and after the argument, one can finally see the picture after the dust settles.
  12. My fiancee (a pharmacist from Brazil) took the GRE when he came here to apply to some of the Ph.D. programs in pharmacology. He did amazingly on the math, yet, poorly on the verbal (250?). However, he scored a 95 on the TOFEL and has published in eight different journals in pharmacy and microbiology, two of which are in English. I often attended the graduate orientations (UT, UT-Southwester, UH, UNT) and got to meet many of the prospective students whom scored high on the GRE as well, yet, their abilities to control and articulate in the English language were horrible. My fiancee might as well have sounded as a professor of English compared to these fellow applicants we met over a period of three years. Many people often say "then what should we do," and both my fiancee and I both agreed upon for example, if one is applying to a psychology program, require the applicants to take the subject exam. If you really want to see if a person can expel knowledge on information relative to the program they seek a career in, test them on the concepts of pathology, history and systems, personality, neuroscience, statistics, research design. I scored in the 90th percentile on the subject exam for psychology...yet, the general exam is stating I am a dumbass, and that I wont be successful in a graduate program in psychology. I get the point of including verbal reasoning, I would add a caveat in saying that the verbal section could also be contextual to the field one is aspiring to go into. I, along with many of the GRE prep faculty at UT agreed that geometry is extremely irrelevant unless you are going into engineering (two of those professors worked for TI and Raytheon). I think what's even funnier is, psychologists play a huge part in the construction of standardized tests, including the GRE.
  13. Possibly, I know that on case studies, methods exams, statistics exams and typical course exams I do extremely wonderful. I would say that a good chunk of it is the fact that I didn't take algebra or geometry in high school, yet, I was able to comprehend statistics (applied math). I took a GRE prep course at UT and...I would say that in order for me to be proficient enough for the algebra and geometry components, I would need formal classes in those two subjects. I know some folks say, "just read the book," unfortunately, I am not that type in relation to this form of information my brain is trying to encode. The worst feeling is, I know that but, yet I don't want to learn algebra and geometry for the sake of doing well on a standardized test which will ultimately afford me the opportunity to go into a program that I know I will do well in (from other indicators stated before), only to be left doing statistics as the mathematical expression of my field. I won't be in there trying to figure out the surface area of a damn square with a triangle inside of it just to conduct research on LGBT psychopathology.
  14. Well, I will say this: I took 2 statistics courses in my undergrad (math department and sociology department) and I made a 92 in the first one and a 110 in the second one (the professor offered bonus questions on his exams, and I took advantage of it). I also took 2 research methods courses in both quant. and qual. research, made A's. So, as far as my math is concerned in context to what I am studying, I do very well at it. As I stated on another forum, I was the type that was essentially told that my ACT needed to be a certain level, or I wouldn't even go to college. I made a 13 on the ACT, I started my career off as a student at the New England Conservatory of Music, and decided to go to the University of North Texas. Instead of relying on standardized test scores to indicate how well I may or may not do, I worked my ass off. I graduated in the top percentile of my class, and came out knowing much more about the science of sociology and psychology than many of my classmates who boasted top SAT and ACT scores. I think as social scientists, we can attest to the fact that tests are not always the best indicator of success. I am a living testament to that theory. As far as graduate schools, I realize they have X amount of spots, in which most likely provide funding. Since that is the case, those programs will deal a bit with GRE's just to narrow it down to look at a smaller percentage of applicants. Essentially, once you make it through the GRE cut-off point, then they look at the QUALITY of work one has done. It's sad when I read these forum articles about graduate students who scored very well on the GRE and did decently in their course work, but not as good as others and many falter. I am realistic in the fact that I know what these programs need to do as far as the bind that they are in, however, it is not to excuse the blatant disregard for otherwise qualified applicants. It's sad when those who have decent coursework grades, yet stellar GRE scores drop out or wash out of graduate programs, and waste that spot that could have gone to someone better equipped. I do very well with applying statistics and the concepts derived from it. I love theory, I can recite DSM diagnostic criteria all day. I was one of few who took advantage of case studies in the class room and could accurately provide a preliminary diagnosis for someone. I am proud of that. Like midnight said...you have to be realistic. I know that TWU's program director told me that they rely more on GPA and letters and research interests as better predicators for their program, but they still need to evaluate the GRE.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use